Plant Polyphenols and Human Health: Novel Findings for Future Therapeutic Developments

Dear Colleagues, 

We are pleased to invite you to contribute to this Special Issue entitled “Plant Polyphenols and Human Health: Novel Findings for Future Therapeutic Developments”. 

Plant polyphenols are a large class of diverse secondary metabolites, ranging from simple phenolic acids to more complex molecules, including stilbenes, flavonoids, and tannins, all sharing the presence of multiple phenol units in their structure.

They are widely distributed in different plant species, where they perform several structural, metabolic, and defense functions and mediate biotic and abiotic interactions.

A plethora of beneficial properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antiproliferative, have been associated to polyphenol-enriched food and plant byproducts, thus suggesting a possible role of these compounds in the prevention or treatment of several pathologies, such as neurodegenerative diseases, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and cancer. Recent evidence has also highlighted the ability of some phenolics to boost antioxidant endogenous defenses, thus favoring health maintenance and infectious resilience.

Consequently, polyphenols appear to be interesting candidates for both pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications. However, some pharmacokinetic issues, including reduced intestinal absorption and bioavailability, and rapid metabolic modifications, should be assessed to fully exploit their remarkable properties.

This Special Issue aims at collecting original articles and review papers evaluating the biological activities of plant polyphenols and phenolic-based plant byproducts, the mechanisms involved, and their clinical relevance. Moreover, papers addressing innovative pharmaceutical formulations to improve the bioavailability of these compounds are welcome.

Dr. Antonella Di Sotto
Dr. Silvia Di Giacomo
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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